Four-wheel braking system



Jan. 15, 1935. o. ZANCAN FOUR-WHEEL BRAKING SYSTEM Filed July 5Q, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR (01/0530 gU/ZCO/Z W M ATTiRNEY 'J 'QZANCA 1, 7

FOUR-WHEEL BRAKING SYSTEM Filed July so, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. I935 1,988,347 FOUR-WHEEL BRAKING SYSTEM Ottavio Zan'can, New York, N. Y.

Application July so, 1932, Serial No. 626,921

14 Claims. (01. 188-10) This invention relates to motor cars and more particularly refers to improvements in motor car braking systems. a v y In motor car braking systems it is desirable to provide for the equalization of the braking action exerted upon wheels mounted at the opposite ends of the same axle, and it is also; desir able to provide cooperation between andunity of control for the front and rear brakes when a four-wheel braking system iseemployed.

In another patent application entitled Motor car axles and brakes, Serial No. 446,955, co pending'herewith, I have described and claimed a braking arrangement which may be applied to the rear axle of a front axle drive motor car, or to the front axle of a rear; axle drive motor car, the same being also applicable to the rear axle of motor trucks, in which the rear wheels are rotatably mounted upon the axle and are driven by means of chains. v

The main characteristic of said braking arrangement is that the braking devices provided for each of the two wheelsat the opposite ends of'thesa'me axle are interconnected by means;- of a single actuating element, preferably of a V flexible character, capable of simultaneously transmitting the braking pull. to both brakes, "In still another patent application entitled- Motor car braking systems, filed August 28, 1 931,

Serial No. 559,8 31. I have described a iront; and rear braking system, in which a single control-; ling element is made t operate both the front and rear brakes, so that a four-wheel braking system results. a v I In said application I have shown and described a'special type of brake adapted to control the operationof the propeller shaft so as to cause aself-equalizing action to take place between the two Wheel-carrying shafts outwardly extending from the dilTerential, mounted within the rear axle The use ofsuch a type of a [rear brakesim plifi'es the problem of cooperation and equalization between and unityof control for the front and'rear brakes. In 'order to provide an arrangement whereby therear brake is actuated somewhat in advance of the front brakes, in said applicationI have described a sliding cam con- .trol of the rear brake whichpermits the brake pedal to move in the braking direction, after the rear brake has been actuated to a certain extent.

In practice I have found that such a sliding cam control is not alwaysentirely satisfactory becauseof its lcomplicationsof design and. ad-

'pin 40, having a shoul'der41. inserted .wit i n a justment and. therefore-,Ihave' ,soughtito im+ prove upon the arrangement described inflsaid application. s The primary object of' this inventionixaocordingly to provide: a novel'andimprovedfour- Wheelbraking system for .motor'cars whichjis relatively simple. and positive in its action. and which canbe easily adjusted in order to take up the wear of the variousgbrakes. W

Another object is to provide ina motor car a four-wheel braking sy'stembf I'a novelkand lproved design, whereby the brakingactioniwi ll be exerted first at the rear and willntheirrbeex tended tothe front of the ear. at. Further objects and advantages of the: present invention will more fully appear as the describe tion proceeds and: will be-setforth andclaimed. in the appended claims. a My invention is illustrated bywayfcf example a in the accompanying drawings in which: 1 20 Fig. 1 is a front View, partly. sectioned;.di a: braking mechanism adapted forsusea i .co'nnec tion with my invention; Fig. 2 is aplan sectional view thereof. Fig. B-isafragmentary plan view. of. a motor car. braking system embodying invent'rtne 7 Referring to, the drawings. 1:0 11. designate the two front 'wheels of 'a motor car, llil'axthe brakes therefor and 1:4 designates -the" :housing=' for the difierentialgearingp. Thepropellei: shaft comprises a front'partw; rear part38aiidinteimediate part'18',con-nected1 to saidparts I6, 38,-, by two universal joints 19, 20,.r'espectivly. The rear end, oftrear part 38 ofitl re propeller differential pinion 15*a'nd a flexible band .3 n1 terposed between cup memberf 3'6 and drumS'T.

Theupper' part of said band"isprovided with a housing. 42 integral witlrlcup memb 11536; and spring 43bearing against shouldcrdl, normally retains band 39 away from drum'37, but-permitting said band being drawn against said. drumi." Band 3 9 is split at itslcwerend-and istermed. integral with two-: co-axia l; lugs v44;;453;slidably mounted upon a shaft 46 and. normally held apart by a spring. 47. Said lugs.v have inclined outer surfaces 48,. 49; againstjwhich .beansimilarly inclined outer; surfaces of bushings 50,.{51

fixed upon shaft 46, said shaft being rotatably contract band 39 and to force it against the outer surface of drum 37.

It will be observedjthat the ensuingbraking action'upon the ,propeller shaft will be transmitted by pinion 15 to gear 21 and will become I equalized between the differential gears 22, 23,'

mounted upon rear wheel shafts 24, 25, respectively, so that the braking mechanism shown and described does away with the riecessityofi ;:using two brakes, one for each wheel, in connection with the rear axle.

' However, although theimechanism justndescribed controls the operation of the propeller shaft, said brakingmechanism is provided in ad! I ditionito the usual emergencybrake 1 L which also controls the propeller shaft. Brake shaft 46 is operatedby alever 54, which maybe actuatedlby a' 'pedal or hand lever, but which is preferablylconnected to afiexibleelement adapted. to control both the front and rearbrakesl As explained in my copending application "entitled Motor car braking systems, when both frOntlandTrear wheel. brakes are employed it is preferabletto so arrangetheir controls that the rear brake or' brakes,'are actuated somewhat in advance of the front'brakes-in'orderto create a drag, preventing the overturning" of the ,car, whichis likely to take place: when the-braking action isexerted at ther-fro'nt and rear-simulta- 1 exert a pull on flexible. element 34 and will cause I neously, v

I 3:I illustratethe preferred way of com-- bining .the .front and' rearv brakes in a single brakingwsystem, {capable of producing a selfequalizin'g. action between: the rear wheels and between the front wheels, forming the subject of this-..invention.L- I Incthe same26 designatestheactuating pedal, whichisprovided. with a pulley 27 around which is inserted a flexible element 28, having one'fof its ends fastened to a .flxed point 29. From" pulley .27 .said flexible? element extends to the rear of andaround a pulley'30, ljcarried by lever 54 andthen extends frontwardly at 31,-' it's otherend being fastened. toa rod. 32. slidingswithin bearing 324". Saidlsliding rod carries a pulley 33 about which is wound a flexible element 34,

connecting brakes 12$ and 13, said flexible element being furthermore wound about and guided by idler pulleys 35', 35'. 1'

It will be seen that by virtue of this arrangement, when pedal 26 is moved frontwardly flexible element 28 will exert a pull on lever 54 and upon sliding rod- 32. Sliding rod 32 in its turn will said flexible elementto operateb'rakes 12, ,13, equalizing their braking action.-

- It is obvious that'thesprings m t e was brakes can" be so regulated thatwher'r pedal '26 is moved frontwardly, lever 54 will"; give first,

operating the rear brake and then, said lever and pulley carried thereby having become stationary, continued -movement of pedal '26 in the same directionwill cause sliding rod. 32 and pulley-33 carried thereby, to'exert aftension on flexible element 34, actuating the front brakes.

It will be seenthat in this manner the problemcf exerting a braking action both--atx the front and the rear by means of a single controlling member is greatly simplifled, because so far as the rear braking action is concerned, it is only necessary to provide for the operation of a single brake lever 54.

The brakes used may be per se adjustable to take up the wear on their frictional surfaces, but in practice I prefer to provide readily acces sible means independent of the brakes foradjusti ng the various elements of the system when needed.

I, therefore, show the flxed point 29 to-which one end of flexible element 28 is attached, as

being provided by the front end of a bolt 29, which is longitudinally adjustable to take up the,

slack in flexible element 28, by means of checknuts 29".

I also show the part of rod 32 carrying pulley 33 extended beyond said pulley at 32'. and

provided with a stem portion 32" slidablewithin a bearing 39". 'The outer end of stem portion 32 is attached-to a spring 40, thetension of which may be adjusted by -means of attaching supplement the actionof-brakes 12, 13 in oppos I ing-thedisplacement o'fpulley-33. -By-means of this arrangement it is," thereforeypossible to reg-' ulate the resistance offered by the displacement of rod 32, and so to carefully time the operation of the front and rear brakes. I

Any slack in flexible element 34 can -furtliermore-be taken up by means of pulley 35 at the ,end of an adjustingbolt, 35, so that any condition arising from wear of the brake linings can be easily corrected. I

As to this it will be observed'that the adjust-1- ment of pulley 35 can-also be utilizedfor taking up any slack in flexible element 31,-and'conversely it will be observed that by adjustingbolt 29 flexible element 31 maybe' caused to displace rearwardly pulley 33 so as to take up any slack in flexible element 34. I I I p .'In' practice, for convenience, I prefer tOllSeT both the adjusting means 29', 35, but ,I do not" wi shto be limited in thisrespect-to the arrangement shown. I v i i It will be observed that the fact that the flexi-f bleel'ement 28 is caused to [ride over pulley 2'1.

of-" leverf26, does not exclude thepossibilityof said flexible element being attached directly to said lever, the only difference being that in the arrangement shown a given displacement of lever 26 will cause "a smaller longitudinal; displacement of flexible'element 28 thanl'if said'elementwere attached directly to said lever. I

Thedrawings, therefore, will'be understood as being intended for illustrative purposes only and not, in a limiting sense. I accordingly reserve the right to carrymy invention intopractice.in allthose ways and mannerswhich" may enter;

fairly, into the scope of theappendediclaims;

Ic laim: i L In a motor car the] combinatiom' withf a front axle, two wheelsrotatably mounted thereon, and a brake for each wheel, of a' flexible element connected to; and controlling said two brakes, a rear braking'mechanism, a brake actu-j ating lever therefor; a brake controlling lever; and' a flexible connection controlled by said controlling lever; extending'between said controlling and actuating 'lever, and between said actuating a .lever 1 and said flexible element,

adapted. to operate-"said actuating levenandsaid flexible:.element.;-=r- 5,: .'-i::. "i' 2'. In, :a motor ;car,,.awfront axle, .two-fiwheels rotatably mounted; I thereon; iai brakes for each wheel,.a vshilitable niemberccarrying" a::pulley,'i:a flexible element riding'aioverz said pulleyyco'n nected to and actuatingsaiditwoibrakespa rear braking mechanismy a n braket actuating lever therefor, a pulley carried' by said actuatin'g lever, a brake controlling:levezi and a fiexible connection controlled. by said icontrollinglever; extending between said. controlling lever andlsaid 'actu ating lever. pulley, and between I said pulleyand said shiftabl'er member, l-wher'eby a pull exerted by said. controlling lever upon-said connection will be transmitted by both said "actuating lever and said flexible'element'. 3.111 a motorcan the combination, with-' a front axle, two wheels-rotatably mounted thereon, and a brakefiforeach wheel, of a fiexible element connected to and controlling said two brakes, a rear-.braking mechani'sm, a brake-'ac tuating leve'r therefor, a brake con-trollinglever; a flexible connection controlled by said controlling lever, extending between said controlling and atuati'nglever, and between said actuating lever and said flexible element, adapted to operate said actuating lever and said flexible element, and means for adjusting the tension of at least one of said flexible members.

4. In a motor car the combination, with a front axle, two wheels rotatably mounted thereon, and a brake for each wheel, of a flexible element connected to and controlling said two brakes, a rear braking mechanism, a brake actuating lever therefor, a brake controlling lever, a flexible connection controlled by said controlling lever, extending between said controlling and actuating lever, and between said actuating lever and said flexible element, adapted to operate said actuating lever and said flexible element, and means for-adjusting the tension of said flexible connection.

5. Ina motor car the combination, with a front axle, two wheels rotatably mounted thereon, and a brake for each wheel, of a flexible element connected to and controlling said two brakes, a rear braking mechanism, a brake actuating lever therefor, a brake controlling lever, a flexible connection controlled by said controlling lever, extending between said controlling and actuating lever, and between said actuating lever and said flexible element, adapted to operate both said actuating lever and said flexible element, means for adjusting'the tension of said flexible connection, and means for adjusting the tension of said flexible. element.

6. In a motor car, a front axle, two wheels rotatably mounted thereon, a brake, for each wheel, a shiftable member carryinga pulley, a flexible element riding over said pulley, connected to and actuating said two brakes, a rear braking mechanism, a brake actuating lever therefor, a pulley carried by said actuating lever, a brake controlling lever, a flexible connection controlledby said controlling lever, extending between said controlling lever and said actuating lever pulley, and between'said pulley and said shiftable member, whereby a pull exerted by said controlling lever upon said connection will be transmitted by both said actuating lever and said flexible element, and means for adjusting the tension of at least one of said flexible members.

7. In a motor car, a front axle, two wheels rotatablmsmounted. tliemomaibmke iomxeach Wheel, a .shiftable member carryingiiaipulleyya flexible r element: ridingrzoverz saidwpulley', con nected to and :.actuating said itwouhrakesyamear braking '5 mechanism, Jail-brake actuating ilever .therefmurv a pulley: carriedi'byi saidazactua tingz' lever; a. "brake at controlling :lever; a flexible monnectionzcontrollemby SWAfiOIltIOl-HIIEJZIBVEIU ex:v

tending b'etv'veen;:said-controlling.lever v andxsaid j actuating lever. pulley, and b'etweeh' said pulley ands 'said' shifitahleil member, whereby a. pull exe erted by said: co'ntrolfli ngf'lever upon saidz-conneczs tion will be transmitted by :both :said actuating lever ands-saidflexible";-elements inansifor 'ad.-..

instin gf the .tensiom of :said: flexible: :conii'ection,

' andirmeansl for 1' adjusting. the tensionr. off said mechanism, -:a brakesicontrolling. :lev'er,:. and:a

flexibleconnection' controlledzbytsaid controlling lever, extending between said-:controllingand actuating lever, and between said actuating lever and said flexible element, adapted to operate both said actuating lever and said flexible element. v 9. In a motor car, a front axle, two wheels,

rotatably mounted thereon, a brake for each wheel, a shiftable member carying a pulley, a

flexible element riding over said pulley, connected to and actuating said two brakes, a propeller shaft, a braking mechanism therefor, an actuating lever for said braking mechanism,- a pulley n carried by said actuating lever, a brake controlling lever, and a flexible connection controlled by said controlling lever, extending between said controlling lever and said actuating lever pulley,

and between said pulley and said shiftable mernber, whereby a pull exerted by said controlling lever upon said connection will be transmitted to both said actuating lever and said flexible element.

10. In a motor car, a front axle, two wheels rotatably mounted thereon, a brake for each Wheel, a shiftable member carrying a pulley, a

flexible element riding over said pulley, connected to and actuating said two brakes, a propeller I shaft, a braking mechanism therefor, an actuating lever for said braking mechanism, a pulley carried by said actuating, lever, a brake control ling lever, a flexible connection controlled by said controlling lever, extending between said control ling lever and said actuating'lever pulley, and between said pulley and said, shiftable member, whereby a pull-exerted by said controlling leverupon said connection will be transmitted to both said actuating lever and said flexible element,

and means for adjusting the tension of at least one of said flexible members.

11. In a motor car the combination, with a front axle, two wheels rotatably mounted there-" on, and a brake for each wheel, of a flexible 'element connected to and controlling said two I brakes, a rear braking mechanism, a brake actuating lever therefor, a brake controlling lever, anda flexible connection controlled by said trolling and actuating lever, and between said actuating lever and said flexible element, adapted to operate both said actuating lever and said,

flexible element, said parts being so set thatsaid controllingt'lever, extending between said conactuating lever is; operated inr advanceiot :said

I 12. Infa motor car, .:a front axle, two wheels rotatably' :mounted thereon; a brake f or each wheel, a shiftablenmember carrying a pulley, .a flexiblelelenient riding over said pulley, connected to. tandactuating: said two brakes; a rear braking mechanism, a brake; actuating.-. lever therefonapulleycarried byV-saidmctuating lever, a

brake controllingtlever, and'agflexible connection controlled by. saidlcontrolling levfenhextend- I ing t between said controlling, lever and 9 said actuating lever pulley, and 2 between said' pulley and said Y. shiftable member, 'wherebya pull exerted; by said controlling lever upon said connection' willtbe transmite'd-flrst' to said actuating lever, and then to said flexiblei 'elementhi 13. In aiinotor-car, "a front axle, two/wheels rotatably .mounted ;thereon,:a brake for each wheel, a shiitable member carrying atpulley, a flexible elementiriding over said pulley; connected to and \actuating isaid two brakes, a propeller shaft, a braking mechanism' theretor, an actuating lever for said braking mechanism, a pulley carried byasaid actuatingv lever, a brake controlling lever, and a flexible connection controlled by: said controlling 'leven iextendingf be-- tween said controlling lever and'saidtactuating lever; pulley a'nd between .said pulley and said shiftableimembenizwherebyfa pull exerted by said controlling lever ,tuponrsaideconnection, will.v be =2 transmitted-first; -to.:. said actuating lever,-. and then to said;flexibleielementhi A 14; In awjmOtOI0815 3.11011718316, two wheels rotatably, mounted thereon, a1 brake for each 7 wheelpa cshittable memberrcarrying 'atpulley; a flexible element; riding over*. said epulley connected to andactuating said- :two: brakes," a pro-1 peller shait,;a1 braking mechanism etherefor, an actuating :lever forrsaid braking: mechanism-, a pulley, carried by said actuating. lever; a brake controlling lever; a flexible connection controlled bysaid controlling lever,'.extendingqbetween said controlling lever. and said actuatingnlever pulley, and between said pulley and said sh1ftable'mem-' ber, whereby a pull exertedtbytsaid' controlling lever upon same connection will betransmitted first to said actuating lever, and thenv tozsaid flexible element, andq'means forjadjustingthe tension of at least onetof said flexible members. 

